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Taiwan conducts inaugural test flight for second ‘Brave Eagle’ trainer jet

Total of 66 Brave Eagle AJTs expected to be delivered by 2026 to replace nation's current trainer aircraft

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/27
By: Kelvin Chen, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Test pilots Kuan Yen-nien (left) and Lu Chih-yuan. (Military News Agency photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The second domestically built Brave Eagle Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) successfully completed its inaugural flight on Saturday (Dec. 26).

The Military News Agency on Saturday pointed out that after the new trainer jet finished its first flight, the test pilot will continue conducting a number of flight assessments.

Lu Chih-yuan (路志元), one of Saturday’s test pilots, said that the ATJ must be tested thoroughly, from the aircraft's development phase to its large-scale production. Test pilots are involved during assembly, engine inspection, full-performance test runs, low-speed and high-speed taxiing trials, and other processes.

Lu will share the test results with engineers and work with them to make adjustments to improve the aircraft’s technical capabilities. Through further flight tests and fine-tuning, the Brave Eagle will be tested until it meets the needs of the Air Force.    [FULL  STORY]

Judicial Yuan holds outdoor mock trial to promote citizen judges

Focus Taiwan
Date: 12/27/2020
By: Lin Chang-shun and Kay Liu

Photo courtesy of the Judicial Yuan

Taipei, Dec. 27 (CNA) The Judicial Yuan held its first outdoor mock trial in Tainan on Friday in a series of such events, which usually take place in a courtroom, to promote the incoming citizen judge system.

The mock trial held in front of the Madou Daitian Temple in the southern city comprised three judges from the Tainan District Court and six citizen judges chosen from among local residents, while students from National Tseng-Wen Agricultural and Industrial High School took on the role of prosecutors, the Judicial Yuan said in a statement released that day.

Before the mock trial began, Lin Hui-huang (林輝煌), secretary-general of the country's top judicial body, said that most citizens will have the chance of being selected as a citizen judge from 2023, and the ongoing series of mock trials is aimed at helping the public become familiar with the court process.

The case presented during Friday's mock trial involved a neighbors' quarrel that turned to violence, with one party being stabbed by the other, according to the statement.
[FULL  STORY]

Appeals to grand justices could resolve debate: KMT

PORCINE PREDICAMENT: Local governments that want to file for constitutional interpretations of their food safety rules could be helped by the KMT, Yeh Ching-yuan said

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 28, 2020
By: Lin Liang-sheng, Lu Yi-hsuan and
Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporters, with staff writer

Local governments could seek a constitutional interpretation if the central government decides to nullify local municipalities’ food safety regulations demanding “ractopamine-free” products, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Evaluation and Discipline Committee director-general Yeh Ching-yuan (葉慶元) said yesterday.

Media reports have cited an anonymous Cabinet official as saying on Saturday that the central government was considering whether to nullify such new food safety regulations, but a decision would not be made until the Executive Yuan communicated further with local governments, hoping that they would drop plans for such rules.

The Legislative Yuan in Taipei on Thursday voted to approve a slew of administrative directives related to the government’s decision to lift restrictions on imports of pork containing ractopamine and on US beef from cattle older than 30 months, effective Friday. Ractopamine remains banned from use in domestic livestock farming.

Executive Yuan Secretary-General Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said that ordinances by several local governments requiring zero tolerance for ractopamine in pork are causing confusion, not only because they conflict with Cabinet-level directives, but they also contradict one another.
[FULL  STORY]

Netflix announces the arrival of Taiwan’s most popular LGBTQ+ film Your Name Engraved Herein

Gay Times
By: Jordan Robledo

Pop the popcorn and get ready for the feels

The new film, which was released earlier this year, follows the love story of Jia-Han and Birdy.

Taking place in the ’80s the film also explores Taiwan lifting martial law and the transformation that the country endures.

Upon its release, the film was met with critical acclaim from both audiences and critics.

The movie was also nominated for five Golden Horse Awards and has become the highest-grossing LGBTQ+ film in Taiwan history.

Netflix’s LGBTQ+ social channel Most released a sneak peek via Instagram with stills from the movie and a quote from the director stating:” I hope viewers can relate to LGBTQ community’s feeling of genuine affection and heartaches that are just susceptible as everyone else.”
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan prepares for first flight from UK since emergence of mutant coronavirus strain

120 passengers expected to arrive in Taiwan from London Sunday evening

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/26
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

London’s Heathrow Airport in June  (AP photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A China Airlines (CAL) plane carrying 120 passengers will on Sunday (Dec. 27) be the first flight to arrive from the United Kingdom following the emergence of a new mutant strain of the coronavirus in the European country, leading Taiwan to take extra precautions.

While several countries have banned all flights from the UK, Taiwan has only cut the number of flights in half. The first one to arrive since the new COVID-19 strain reared its head is scheduled to leave London late Saturday night (Dec. 26) and arrive at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Sunday at 6:15 p.m., the Liberty Times reported.

As soon as passengers disembark, they will be guided into a special room where arrival procedures and initial testing will be conducted before six buses take them to a special quarantine facility.    [FULL  STORY]

CORONAVIRUS/Flight crews may need to take longer home quarantine, tests: CECC

Focus Taiwan
Date: 12/26/2020
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and Lee Hsin-Yin

CNA file photo

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) Taiwan is expected to impose more stringent regulations for flight crews, which could include an extension of home quarantine from no more than five days currently to seven days, as well as having to provide a negative PCR test, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Saturday.

CECC spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said the current five-day and three-day home quarantine for flight attendants and pilots, respectively, when they enter Taiwan, will likely be extended to an across-the-board seven days.

Moreover, flight crew members must obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test result to complete their quarantine, he said.

He said those who need to cut short their 7-day home quarantine in order to work their next shift will be banned from entering local communities before they fly, he said, although he stressed that the details remain to be decided.    [FULL  STORY]

Men also at risk of breast cancer, doctor says

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 26, 2020
By: Staff writer, with CNA

Men should be aware of the risk of breast cancer and although it is rare, seek regular checkups, a doctor in Miaoli County said on Tuesday, after his hospital diagnosed an advanced case of the disease.

A 55-year-old man being treated at Da Chien General Hospital first noticed a small lump near his right nipple about a month ago, said Feng Chi-yen (馮啟彥), head of the hospital’s general surgery department.

The man first reported it to a hospital near his home, which told him it was likely a benign tumor, but he was referred to Da Chien after returning for another check when he noticed the lump had grown larger, Feng said.

An ultrasound scan of the 1cm lump led to a diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer, which had spread to his lymph nodes, Feng said, adding that the man was admitted for a mastectomy that included the removal of the lymph nodes in his armpit.    [FULL  STORY]

Premier thanks frontline medical workers on Christmas Eve

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 25 December, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

Premier Su Tseng-chang published a video on Christmas Eve thanking frontline medical workers

Premier Su Tseng-chang took to Facebook on Christmas Eve to thank Taiwan’s frontline medical workers for their role in containing COVID-19. Su said that thanks to the hard work of medical staff, life in Taiwan is still largely continuing as normal. He also said that Taiwan is only able to celebrate the holidays normally this year because of medical personnel.  

Su published a video along with his post, thanking medical workers, prevention staff, mask producers, and taxi drivers who transported those under quarantine for their roles in keeping Taiwan safe from COVID-19.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan to reform coastal forces amid China tension

Country’s Defense Ministry mulls to add 5 brigades to ‘defend the nation’

Anadolu Agency
Date: 25.12.2020
By: Riyaz Ul Khaliq  

Amid persistent tensions in the Taiwan Strait with Chinese planes hovering over and frigates roving the wide waters, Taiwan is mulling to rearrange its coastal defense.

The island nation’s Defense Ministry has said it is adding “five coastal defense brigades by 2023,” daily Taiwan News reported on Friday.

It would be the first such reform in the coastal defense units since 1997.

The process will begin on Jan. 1 – a week from now that Taiwan will add one brigade each in its north and south. Further arrangements are expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023.
[FULL  STORY]

Taiwan lowers age of majority to 18

Change will take effect in 2023

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/12/25
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Legislative Yuan approved lowering age of majority in 2023.  (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Legislative Yuan on Friday (Dec. 25) approved a government proposal to lower the age of majority from 20 to 18, but the change will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2023.

For years, activists have been demanding that the Civil Code be amended in order to bring the country in line with a wide range of other nations. The age of majority is 18 in most Western countries, and Japan fixed the threshold of adulthood at 18 in 2018.

Legislators from both the ruling and opposition parties, the Cabinet, and the Judicial Yuan agreed to merge their proposals on Nov. 25. The Legislative Yuan on Friday officially passed the document after its third reading, CNA reported.

The minimum age of marriage remains 18 for men but has been raised from 16 to 18 for women in the name of equality.    [FULL  STORY]